#belgium

The Belgian Armed Forces—known as Defensie (NL), La Défense (FR), and Belgische Streitkräfte (DE)—serve as the national military of the Kingdom of Belgium. The monarch, the King or Queen of the Belgians, acts as the commander-in-chief. Belgium operates a professional military force, as conscription was officially suspended on February 5, 1995.

The Supermarine Spitfire was first flown by Belgian pilots at the beginning of World War II. The pilots and pilot candidates came from various parts of the world: Europe, North and South America, Africa, and even China. A number of them were from Belgium, having spent time in French, Portuguese, or Spanish prisoner-of-war camps. Most of them joined the Royal Air Force and were assigned to various Bomber and Fighter Squadrons. On February 11, 1941, a Belgian flight was formed within the 609 Squadron. After just a year, their numbers had grown so large that it was decided to establish a full Squadron on February 11, 1942: the 350 Squadron, with the code MN. In November of the same year, a second Squadron was formed: the 349 Squadron, with the code GE. They were equipped with Spitfire Mk II A aircraft from the Royal Air Force.

The Mirage 5BA aircraft were procured by Belgium in the late 1960s to replace the outdated (R)F-84Fs, which were serving primarily as fighter-bombers in the Belgian Air Force. The Mirage was selected from a range of options, including the F-5A, A-4E, and Draken. Belgium became the largest user of the Mirage 5 in history, with over 100 of the type in its inventory.